How gestational diabetes affects pregnant women’s eyes
During pregnancies, this health condition could affect a woman’s vision. Here’s what to know.
Pregnant women can face lots of physical and emotional changes. One that can be common but scary is gestational diabetes mellitus. (It’s often shortened to gestational diabetes or GDM.)
GDM affects up to 9% of pregnancies in the U.S. each year, according to the American Diabetes Association.1 Managing GDM may be important for both mother and baby's health. One part of that is how it might affect a woman's eyes.
GDM can lead to vision issues, including a serious condition called diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, it can result in vision loss.2
Here’s what to know about GDM, and how to better manage it and its vision-related issues.
Women can stay on top of their eye health before, during and after a pregnancy, with a network provider from UnitedHealthcare Vision. Search for a provider now.
What is gestational diabetes, and how can it affect a woman’s eyes?
GDM is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It happens when the body doesn’t make enough insulin. That’s a hormone produced by the pancreas. It helps turn blood sugar in a person’s body into energy.3
The exact cause of GDM is not known. But the hormones that help the baby grow may sometimes block the mother's insulin. That could lead to insulin resistance. This can make it harder for a woman's body to use insulin.1
As a result, the mother’s body needs to produce more insulin. If their body can't produce enough insulin, sugar (glucose) stays in their blood. That can lead to high blood sugar. That can then cause health issues.1
It’s important to know that women who may have GDM during a pregnancy may not have diabetes after it.1
Vision-related symptoms of GDM may include:4
- Blurry vision
- Dark or empty spots in the field of vision
- Floaters, or small spots or shapes in the field of vision
- Trouble with color vision
How can pregnant women know if they have gestational diabetes?
A woman may have diabetes before they become pregnant. If that’s not the case, their provider will typically screen them for GDM at 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Risk factors for GDM include:3
- Giving birth to a baby who weighed over 9 pounds
- Having a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Having a hormone disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Having had GDM during another pregnancy
- Trouble maintaining a healthy weight
Women from certain racial groups are also at higher risk of developing GDM. These include:
- African Americans
- Alaska Natives
- American Indians
- Hispanics or Latinos
- Native Hawaiians
- Pacific Islanders
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What is diabetic retinopathy, and how is it linked to gestational diabetes?
A pregnant woman with GDM may have a hard time managing their high blood sugar. This can raise their risk of developing a serious eye condition called diabetic retinopathy.5
Over time, uncontrolled high blood sugar may damage the blood vessels in the body. These could include the small ones in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. That connects to the optic nerve, which is connected to the brain and helps a person see.2
This condition may lead to vision loss or in rare cases, blindness. It may also put a person at higher risk for other diabetes-related eye conditions such as:2
- Cataracts (a clouding of the lens of the eye that makes it harder to see)
- Open-angle glaucoma (an eye disease that damages the optic nerve)
What can a pregnant woman with gestational diabetes do to protect their vision?
To better protect their vision, a woman with GDM can take several steps:1,3,6
- Get regular prenatal checkups. It’s a good idea to have regular check-ins with their provider. They can answer any questions about GDM during these visits.
- Eat healthy. That could include foods that control blood sugar better, like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
- Exercise daily. It’s a good idea to get regular physical activity to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Pregnant women will want to talk to their provider to make sure their exercise plan is safe for them and their baby.
- Check blood sugar regularly. It’s important for someone with GDM to do so, to make sure their blood sugar remains in a normal range.
What other options does a pregnant woman have to protect their vision?
Something else a pregnant woman can do to protect their vision is see an eye care provider. The early stages of diabetic retinopathy typically have no symptoms. Some vision changes may come and go.2
An eye care provider may do a dilated eye exam, where they can check for conditions like this one. During an eye exam with dilated pupils, the eye care provider uses drops to make the pupils bigger. The black circles in the middle of the eye are the pupils. This allows them to see the back of the eye clearly. This can help detect signs of the vision condition.
Vision insurance can help cover eye exams and other preventive screenings and tests. With UnitedHealthcare Vision insurance, pregnant or nursing members may get a second eye exam each year. This comes at no additional cost beyond their standard copay.
Providers in the UnitedHealthcare Vision Network are here to help keep pregnant women’s vision healthy. That includes those with gestational diabetes. Search for a network eye care provider today.
Sources:
- Gestational diabetes American Diabetes Association
- Diabetic retinopathy National Eye Institute, December 2024
- Gestational diabetes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 2024
- Pregnancy complications: When to see an eye doctor Optometrists Network
- Pregnancy and diabetic retinopathy—considerations for evaluation and treatment: a review Annals of Eye Science, September 2023
- Diabetes and pregnancy Medline Plus, October 2024
